Conquest of Evil - Days of Empire
by Shadow Ranger
Summary: Empires rise and fall in the blink of an eye.
1. Emipires Rising

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic. In addition some of the history in this universe is adapted and mangled from the Star Wars universe and belongs to the respective copyright owners. Empires Rising

It took time for the Gods of Heaven and Hell to come to terms with the changes in their existence. Before they had been free to roam through all the planes, realms and dimensions, fighting their battles at the time and place of their choosing. But with Light and Darke removed from the war, the battleground had shifted, barriers had been raised and instead of being fought by the highest and most powerful races, the war was being fought by some of its most fragile.

The gods that had emerged from Shadow's breaking had proven a disappointment. Driven in part by the belief of those that worshipped them, they were extremely weak in a universe where nobody believed in them. Instead they looked for a way to inspire the belief they needed while meddling in the lives of the few that allowed them to.

For the denizens of Heaven and Hell the changes had happened in an instant, but for those outside their realms, billions of years had passed and the true nature of the gods had faded from memory.  
Indeed the history of the great struggles that had come before had faded leaving  
very few who even understood the origins of their universe.

New races had arisen in that time, each born with an  
unexplained desire to be the guiding influence for the shaping of reality. The beings that would one day be known collectively as the Ancient Morphin Masters, were the first to rise up and attempt to lead. They sought to pursue knowledge of the energy that bound the universe together and the use that as the basis of future civilisations.

The Maltusians shared similar goals, but while the Morphin Masters were willing to accept the disorderly way in which those energies behaved, the Maltusians were appalled such chaos. They pursued a path of science to tame the energies and force them to behave in a predictable fashion. They changed themselves to reflect the mindset needed to accomplish their goal, casting away emotion in favour of logic. In their minds only some of the energy could be used and the rest should remain untouched.

And in the far future, the Time Lords of Gallifrey had established the recorded history of the universe, bringing a sense of the passage of time that had been lacking before. They linked the past to the future, placing themselves at the beginning of the universe where they could guide its development to their preferences. They held nothing but disdain for the chaotic energies that the Morphin Masters chose to study and even the Maltusians were frowned upon for their experiments to tame such abhorrent forces. It was whispered that the Time Lords sabotaged the efforts of both their competitors, causing catastrophes such as the accidental release of Entropy from its imprisonment and the creation of an evil that the Maltusians would dedicate their lives to fighting.

Along the way the Time Lords interfered with the development of many races. In some cases they even wiped them from existence. They saw the threat of the Cybertronians, a race of shape-shifting beings that emerged on the metal planet of Cybertron. The Time Lords attempted to alter their evolution so that they would become an organic race... for a time their scheme worked before the Cybertronians reverted to their true nature.

Life moved on and adapted as the Time Lords did everything in their power to dictate a path of science and to deny knowledge of what some would call magic. The lack of knowledge the mortals possessed regarding the energy of the universe pushed them to find new ways to overcome their problems. Science and technology had reached a peak by the time the denizens of Heaven and Hell turned their attention to what was going on outside; the gods created by Shadow had been ineffectual in their interaction with mortals and as technology had taken a more dominant stance, their powers had diminished.

It was a time where the traditional reliance on the natural energies of the cosmos were replaced by new theories of science and technology. Instead of using the power of the Power to bring fire, the undeveloped mortals had discovered that they could do so with flints. And as the many races evolved the development of technology led many away from their reliance upon the Power. For a long time the mysterious energy took a back seat to the more understandable ideas of science.

Far from where the universe had begun, a planet had formed. Over many billions of years that had passed since its creation, it had become a populated world. Filled by those that knew and opposed the forces of evil, their champions sought to expose and vanquish the darkness wherever it appeared.

However, while the attempt to hide the knowledge of the mystical energy was initially successful, there were always those that were intrigued by its strange properties. A period of ignorance was soon followed by a time of rediscovery and the unknown energy was once again studied by many races as they tried to unlock the secrets of its many forms. The Time Lords had realised that sabotaging attempts to rationalise and harness such forces were doomed to failure and instead used propaganda to and misinformation to try and redirect such studies.

The lack of natural understanding led to the use of religious rituals and the crafting of special conduits that allowed them to control what had started out as spontaneous outbursts. Over time that knowledge had turned the channelling of energy into an art form based as much on science as it was on magic. But by that time some races had fully embraced science and were unwilling or unable to accept the relatively chaotic nature of the Power. Some planets sought to completely erase the existence of magic from their records and heavily policed the teachings and knowledge of their citizens to ensure that science was the dominant belief.

The citizens of some planets chose to leave their homes to find new worlds and freedom to believe as they wished. The planet Krypton saw many such expeditions, although in the future many would return with new techniques, creating a unique society where telepathy and other psychic forces took prevalence over magic. Unfortunately eons of mining the crystalline structure of their planet caused it to destabilise and later  
triggered its ultimate destruction.

The ships that departed spread through the universe, taking generations to reach new worlds. Their supplies exhausted on arrival the colonists were forced to abandon their technology and live simpler lives. Over time some even forgot that technology had once existed as their society reverted to an earlier more open state. But not all suffered such a fate.

One Kryptonian expedition reached the primitive planet Daos where the natives aided them in acclimatising to the the harsh conditions. Successful interbreeding between the natives and the colonists, who had discovered that on Daos the population had mastered the basic arts of energy manipulation, led to a new society. Over time the a peaceful structured society was formed, divided between the ruling scientists and government, the military forces and the civilians they protected. Their population soon spread outwards,  
colonising other worlds as part of a new civilisation.

Meanwhile far from Daos, the world of Tython became the centre of those that sought to understand and wield the energy they had dubbed the Power. Unlike those that resided in the higher planes, not all mortals had the ability to wield the Power freely, and those that could do so found that they could not all use it in the same way. Such discoveries led to new theories and methods of using the power. Some teachers only took in students capable of learning selected techniques. The most common use of the Power to enhance the body of the individual was considered less important than the ability to enhance mental abilities or project energy. On Tython the strengths and weakness of the many ways to use the Power were categorised and a balance achieved.

For centuries the planet endured peacefully, its population embracing both the light and the darkness of their world and forged it into a society at peace with themselves. It was unfortunate that while they were capable of accepting the Power as a whole, those who visited them insisted on categorising their activities, labelling them as either good or evil. By this time the forces of Heaven and Hell had turned their attention to the Realm of Mortals and their whisperings  
in the minds of those open to such suggestions had polarised the previously innocent people.

As always those who did not understand how things worked did not comprehend the damage their intervention caused. The Power, which had always been a single unified force, was suddenly divided into categories of light and darkness. By doing so they created forbidden knowledge that if taught freely would have been moderated by the lighter teachings. However, as forbidden knowledge it was sought by those without the skills to avoid the temptation to use it for evil, especially those teachings that dealt with the mind and spirit. The Tython race, recognised for their unity despite the varying moral stances, was suddenly divided into factions. The planet was thrown into civil war and over the next few decades the Tython race was almost completely wiped out.

The teachings of the Power however were passed on. Whether it had been a demon that had suggested the formal division, or an angel, or a combination of both forces, the result was that Ge'Ki techniques though fierce were considered to be morally correct while those of the Rin'Ki philosophy were frowned upon and stained the soul. Tython students had always been taught to understand the importance of both teachings while following a strict code of behaviour that favoured the Ge'Ki school of thought. When the teachings were taken off-world, they lacked the skills to impart the knowledge. Students were abusing the Power and even those who were strictly committed to Ge'Ki, ended up committing terrible acts.

A wise man named Suna who saw the folly of trying to teach only one aspect of the all-encompassing force that the energy represented. He unified the teachings as a means to understanding. He was the first in generations to refer to the Power as a single force. Through his teachings the Paladins, as he called his disciples, were introduced to the teachings of both Ge'Ki and Rin'Ki, but were taught to follow the moral codes of Ge'Ki. After years spent training disciples in the ways of the Paladins, Suna opened an academy, which grew large under the aging master and his students.

When Suna died, the strict moral code of the Paladins started to slip. No longer did they stand up for the rights of the weak, instead dedicating their efforts to supporting the order provided by government. While they still fought the darkness, they did not challenge injustice so long as they were insulated from its effects. Shortly before Suna's death, a young student by the name of Maku had renounced the light and thrown himself into the dark teachings. Unchallenged he created his own philosophy of studying both teachings but embracing the moral codes of the darkness.

It started with simple rebellion by younger students. A Paladin possessed the ability to charge a bladed weapon with energy through the use of a small crystal. The students refused to stick to the nine natural gems used to produce such weapons. Later it took on more sinister actions such as denouncing the government and killing for vengeance. The rebels encouraged discord and conflict wherever possible. Seeing the problem that the rebels represented and fearing the possibility that more would arise if left unchecked, the studying of the darker practices was forbidden. All references to the ceremonies and rituals employed by Rin'Ki followers were erased.

Desperate to hide the path to the darkness, the leaders of Ge'Ki decided to adapt the history of the Tython. Ge'Ki and Rin'Ki teachings were rewritten, taking everything the elders considered positive and removing anything with the potential for abuse. The leaders renamed the Paladins, calling themselves Order of Bendu, they claimed the ranks of knights, wielders and servants of the Power. To talk of any other interpretation was frowned upon as scholars removed any knowledge they believed could lead to the darkness. Unfortunately by doing so they created an imbalance that they would later come to regret as a new breed of rebels appeared.

While the first rebels, who now referred to themselves as the Datenshi, had been students of Rin'Ki teachings, those that followed were products of the imbalance that had been created. They were more likely to adopt Rin'Ki application of the Power and integrated it into their discipline. This generation called themselves the Xylon Lords. To distinguish themselves, the Xylon Lords carried medallions that channelled a small amount of their power. The Xylon Lord known as Scarz was the first to carry such an article. Over time the Xylon endured and in the decades that followed this led to a new war between good and evil, and countless deaths on both sides. But the followers of the Xylon were naturally rebellious and over time new subsets appeared that threatened to further muddle the line between good and evil. The denizens of Heaven despaired while those in Hell rejoiced.

While the dark side of the Power created many great warriors, the light side could claim its own successes too. With the Power on their side they were capable of pushing their limits, but as ever more restrictions were heaped upon students to prevent them slipping to the darkness, many were prevented from reaching their full potential. Emotion was frowned upon, for the dark emotions were said to be a part of the dark side while the positive emotions were thought to risk exposure to negative emotions. In the words of one of the elders, love was a powerful and pure emotion, but it could lead to the fear of losing someone and was therefore to be avoided. Instead of acting as shining beacons of the light, they were rapidly stepping into the shadows.

Eventually came the fall of the Xylon. Although powerful they were outnumbered by the Bendu. In a final battle during which three times as many Bendu warriors fell before the Xylon might, all but two servants of the dark side were wiped out. However the two that remained, a Xylon and a Dark Wielder, were willing to put aside their differences and work against a common foe. The result was a new Xylon order. From that time on there could only be two Xylon Lords at any time: one to hold power and the other to chase it. While they were free to recruit others, those they trained would never know their full potential.

The war continued through the millennia as space travel developed and the teachings of Tython spread to other worlds. The galaxy thrived, but was constantly on a point of collapse as the Xylon continued to rise against it. The rediscovery of ancient Rin'Ki texts heralded a revival of the Xylon as they learned how to channel their powers through the use of crystals, gems and enchanted metals.

Unnoticed by the Bendu, one Xylon succeeded another, each generation selecting the one they thought best suited to carry their cause forward. One Xylon replaced another sometimes through a natural death or in combat, just as often through the treachery of an ambitious apprentice. Eventually the Xylon Lord Kata arose with the ambition, the knowledge and the positioning to bring his vision of order to the galaxy.

Over a period of time, Kata trained an apprentice, a skilled student, having slain three Bendu Knights just to prove himself worthy of his master. After a few more years, the student revealed his existence and that of the Xylons to the Bendu. It was a time when the Order of Bendu boasted some of their most powerful members and their order had become stagnant. The strict insistence on avoiding all emotion clouded their sense of right and wrong, allowing them to overlook the injustice of slavery while concentrating on maintaining their ideology and the structure it gave their lives.

When the student was killed during a mission, Kata furthered his plans by taking on a string of apprentices. After killing a young Bendu Knight with a fireball, he sent an impostor to arrange the building of a new army, all-the-while supporting the growing armies of the opposition. Kata played both sides of the growing conflict, positioning himself to sweep to power legitimately.

Eventually Kata shaped events to where he wanted them. He engineered a faux-war, ensuring that he would remain in power despite having dismissed democracy in the process. In a rapid series of moves he allowed those suspicious of his actions to become more vocal, knowing that they would reach the ears of the Order of Bendu and force them to act in ways that could be considered treasonous.

Then came the turning point, the moment that public support for Kata was at its height. He allowed the Bendu to confront and attack him, slaying three of their number in the process. The fourth was killed through the aid of a traitor who became his new apprentice. The newly rechristened Rio was sent along with the army he had created to hunt down and destroy the Order of Bendu. Although grievously injured during a battle with his old master, Rio was rescued from death and placed in a cyber-genetic suit.

Kata declared himself Emperor. He legitimised his rule with the aid of the highest court in the Galaxy, the Supreme Tribunal, located on the planet Granicus. Through Rio and others, Kata established the Galactic Empire and ordered the extermination of the Knights of Bendu and their allies. Thousands upon thousands of Bendu Knights were massacred. The Order of Bendu virtually disappeared. Their great legacy was soon soon just a memory.

The only ones to survive were those lucky enough to remain in hiding on remote worlds. Most Power-sensitive individuals were tracked down by the Inquisitors. They were given the choice: either submit their abilities to Emperor Kata's rule, or perish at the hands of the Emperor's forces, the battle between the Bendu and Xylon ended. It was an oppressive time for the galaxy, the forces of good and evil had fought and for the time being the light had been extinguished. The Emperor created an army consisting of military might to maintain his authority. Through the use of localised leaders, military enforcement and the support of criminal activity, the Emperor slowly worked to solidify his reign.

There were dissidents of course; many rejected the Emperor and organized a rebellion against his rule. None of them lived long but served as martyrs to the cause. Over time the rebellion gained support and after a major victory against the Emperor's force, the end of the Empire was close at hand. In the end it was Kata's own apprentice who destroyed him, ending the evil of the Xylons.

Peace reigned once more.

**End of part. **


	2. The Eternal Empire

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic. In addition some of the history in this universe is adapted and mangled from the Star Wars universe and belongs to the respective copyright owners.

The Eternal Empire

Emperor Kata had fallen thanks to the actions of Rio, Rio had died from the injuries inflicted upon him by the angered Kata; had he waited until his master was dead before gloating, he would have ascended to the throne. The army formed by the combined might of the Dark Wielder and Xylon forces had been routed. In the four decades that followed the structure of the Empire was torn down until finally peace had been restored. But the evil could not be erased totally, the scars left behind took much longer to heal as the remnants of the Empire struggled to find a way to regain control.

Few realised when peace was ultimately declared that the Emperor had prepared for his death. A large fleet had been positioned well beyond the boundaries of the galaxy - for Kata had dispatched it before he had completed his planned uprising - ready to strike should he consider his position under threat; Rio's treachery had happened so quickly that the Emperor had not been able to call them.

At the moment of his death a second signal was sent, instructing those aboard the command ship to awaken their new leader: Maku. Maku had been created using cloning technology. The plan had been that upon his death, Kata's mind would seek out Maku's body and merge with it. However that did not happen and at the moment of his awakening Maku received a vision of a new plan. Maku's first command caused the fleet to change course and head out into the unexplored regions beyond their home galaxy.

Time passed, millions of years in the blink of an eye. The new Emperor led the Black Fleet through space, seeking out new territories to conquer. As they passed through the many galaxies, Maku's scientists were ordered to modify the cloning technology. First Maku designed a new breed of clones that were physically and mentally superior to those that had come before. They would serve to govern his newly won territories, extending his reach without risking a loss of control.

Then for each of his offspring his scientists engineered ways to enhance previous clone batches to serve his 'children'. The continued research led to unexpected discoveries about the universal energy field that they drew upon in combat. The new clones managed to unlock a more powerful, less controllable and highly destructive form of energy. While it was no better or worse than the previous form, it did not require the same level of control to access it.

With their new soldiers ready, the fleet moved from one galaxy to the next, leaving half their forces in place after they conquered it, while the rest continued onward. Those left behind were charged with the task of quelling any resistance to the new regime as the expeditionary force pressed on, replacing those they left behind with a new batch of clones as they travelled. Once those they left behind gained complete control over their new territory, they would send conscripts from the planets under their dominion to reinforce the continuing effort.

Maku's fleet had many advantages over their enemies, from ships that could strip a planet of its vital minerals and turn them into ships, to soldiers trained to use the Power offensively. The rejuvenated Maku - for he had found a means to renew his body when it deteriorated - had developed a method of ruling his expanding empire through the use of puppet administrations. By the use of electronics and dark rituals, the children left behind to oversee the Emperor's efforts acted as the eyes, ears and mouthpiece of their father while he made the important decisions. As such he was able to extend the new network of empires beyond the boundaries of one man's control. By the end of his life time he had conquered a vast area and left it in the hands of his thirty children.

Eventually even Maku's extensive knowledge could not prevent him from succumbing to the effects of old age. He was replaced by Trannis, a genetic copy that Maku had raised as his heir. The dark forces had conquered countless galaxies, although it had taken millions of years since they first departed from their home worlds; that constant stream of conquests was about to come to an end; the fleet had arrived just outside of the fledging galaxy that would one day be known as the Milky Way.

By now the Black Fleet's database was filled with facts that the Emperor and his servants had discovered about the Power. They had studied and identified the different types of energy, how to used them and even categorised them according to their properties. The groups that feel into the category known as Magic were of special interest. Magic was a very powerful, extremely volatile force that could be wielded to some degree by anyone. The scholars had researched the different methods of using it both direct and indirect. It gave the Emperor's forces a distinct advantage.

* * *

Maku would have been disappointed with Trannis. While genetic engineering had allowed him to improve the quality of his children, it had not managed to capture the true greatness of Maku. Trannis lacked much of the original's power, his knowledge and his influence. Within a few decades the control Maku had held over his territories had been lost. Trannis could not command Maku's children in the same way and due to problems dealing with the constant input, he failed to notice that many of Maku's gains had simply slipped from his grasp and instead of fixing the problem, he had decided to start anew.

The planets of Devadec and Frostfall were the the political centres around which the galaxy revolved. At least those that populated the two planets liked to think so. Deverdec was where the home of the Galactic Council where the politicians met to discuss matters of great importance and then got side tracked in matters of personal interest. Frostfall as the headquarters for the Guardians of the Galaxy, self-appointed protectors of the peace with the aptitude to wield the life changing energies of the Morphin Grid.

Over time the need for separate planets became obvious as some of the Guardians tried to appoint themselves councillors. They were robbed of any illusion that they could take such actions, and as a result only succeeded in convincing members of the Galactic Council to place strict rules upon the way the Guardians handled their affairs.

Peace reigned throughout the Galaxy since very few dared to challenge the power of the Guardians. But as the Guardians and their political rulers started to believe they were invincible, their unwillingness to look beyond their galaxy would prove their undoing; beyond those boundaries the Universe was a sinister place.

Trannis had been pleased with the reports. While the Guardians and the Galactic Council were a hurdle, they were distracted with petty infighting, Trannis decided that their territory would become the heart of his new empire and mobilised an expeditionary force in their direction. In doing so he left many of his followers behind to consolidate the few systems they had recently gained and to expand his army. Trannis had revised Maku's preferred method of conquest. As his fleet passed through a territory, Trannis would mobilise his forces to destroy those most likely to oppose him. Then once those defences were broken, he would leave a small part of his fleet to establish complete control while he moved onward.

Some of the territories he had conquered had subsequently annexed neighbouring galaxies and sent reinforcements to the front line. Most had not and had eventually lost contact. Trannis maintained order within his struggling empire with an iron fist. He never questioned whether those he left behind actually succeeded, nor did he understand that his fleet had shrunk considerably due to the lack of reinforcements.

Trannis's arrival in the Milky Way was known before his vessel appeared. The advanced forces he had sent to gather information had also targeted key locations. News of the atrocities committed by some of his advanced forces made his name something to be feared. To the Guardians though he was considered just another minor threat trying to make a name for himself. While this demonstrated how arrogant the Guardians had grown, it also meant that the advanced party had grabbed their attention.

For once Trannis changed his strategy and instead of pushing his fleet toward the political centre of the galaxy, he chose to conquer worlds on the outer fringes. Billions of lives were lost on countless worlds as his fleet cleansed whole systems just to form a staging ground. From his throne world, Trannis looked upon his kingdom and directed the attacks.

It was a terrible mistake by the Guardians not to intervene as soon as Trannis entered their territory. By waiting and denying the threat that he posed, they lost the opportunity to halt his campaign. After the twelve worlds of the Zodia system fell to his forces, they realised the threat he posed. By that time his forces had gained momentum and would prove almost impossible to stop.

Some of the Guardians did fight, stepping outside of their roles and turning their backs on the ruling council. They called themselves Defenders and placed themselves on planets they thought Trannis would target. Most who did fight were killed, fuelling the Guardians' belief that non-interference was the safest and most prudent course of action. But while the Defenders' deaths did little to encourage the Guardians to uphold their oath of service, they inspired the ordinary populations of worlds under threat to take up arms; the Guardians' role was becoming less and less important as the people protected themselves.

A new armada of space ships was sent to battle Trannis's fleet. Thousands worlds united to defeat the threat. The Galactic Council turned their back on the Guardians, a move which made the Guardians protest and later threaten to replace the elected body of representatives with a body of their choosing. In the end the Guardians backed down and the Galactic Council moved to unite the people ready for war. Despite losing the argument, the respect of the people and some of their respected members, the Guardians refused to join the campaign. They refused to sanction any action against Trannis and threatened those that took such action with severe sanctions. There was a growing fracture within the membership of the Guardians that served to strengthen Trannis's position. The war was being fought on too many fronts and Trannis's forces seemed to grow daily.

* * *

It was a long and difficult battle, and the defending army was vastly outnumbered. It was through the use of underhanded tactics and unprecedented amounts of luck that they won a number of small victories that would eventually lead to Trannis's defeat. While he was distracted by a string of attacks on his lead vessels, Trannis failed to notice the small fleet that departed to the outer regions of the galaxy before slipping passed his security forces. It was a small strike that only managed to destroy a single relay station and cost the lives of all those involved, but it effectively shut down the Emperor's communications.

The second strike pitted the galaxy's fleet against one of Trannis's weaker forces. The fleet was destroyed, bolstering the Council's forces and pushing them to fight even harder. Those Guardians that had joined the battle led their forces bravely. Their dedication and values meant they were highly respected and inspired others to improve themselves.

Trannis did not take the resistance lightly. He decided that both the Galactic Council and the Guardians were threats to his plans. And as other divisions of his fleet were destroyed, he realised that a message needed to be sent. As the defending army drove Trannis's forces away from a planet they had recently conquered, and destroyed a portion of his army for good measure, the Emperor decided to make a decisive strike at the very heart of the Galactic Council and destroy the Guardians at the same time.

Trannis's chosen vessel was a mighty space station based on technology deployed by the first Emperor so long ago. Much larger than its predecessor, it had an outer ring and a smaller battle station that acted as a tug to move it through space. The massive super cannon was its main weapon, although it was also capable of tearing planets to pieces and draining them of their vital resources. Its resistance to most forms of attack marked it as a potent weapon.

Leaving his fleet to obliterate the Council's armada, he directed the battle station into orbit around the planet Frostfall. From there he launched the bombardment of Devadec, unaware that the Galactic Council had already relocated to the world of Erlion. After watching this act of open hostility, the Guardians finally decided to make preparations for his arrival. It was almost laughable that they hadn't expected him to destroy their world and he couldn't believe they were foolish enough to expect him to leave them alone if they failed to lift a hand against him. As soon as he saw that they were starting to become organised, he fired one of the vessel's more volatile weapons and watched in delight as the once proud world crumbled from within.

It was hours later that Trannis returned to the scene of his recent triumph. There he witnessed the success of his weapon and decided to collect some spoils of war. He had heard stories of the Guardians and the treasures they held in their vaults. After finding the vaults, he assigned one of his commanders to transfer their contents to to a place where he could review them later.

In the months and years that followed, Trannis tore the galaxy apart. The Galactic Council had escaped his wrath the first time, but the second time they were destroyed. The remnants of the Guardians were hunted down mercilessly. Whole planets were rendered lifeless as Trannis sent a message to those that would oppose him. Instead of pushing through the galaxy at speed, his fleet took its time and made certain that nothing survived the purge.

* * *

The Master-At-Arms, the leader of what remained of the galaxy's forces, was dead. Trannis had sought him out personally and had taken great satisfaction in ending his meddlesome existence. With him gone there seemed very little hope left for the galaxy.

But Trannis had made a mistake. Unknown to the Emperor the people of the planet where the Master-At-Arms had made his stand had discovered the existence of powerful beings that watched over their world. They called them gods and worshipped them, not understanding that their belief allowed the gods an influence on their world that increased that belief and the power those gods exerted. These gods had been created when the Avatar known as Shadow had been overwhelmed by good and evil. They were petty, vindictive, imperfect beings, but they cared for those that worshipped them since their status was linked to the ongoing worship.

When Trannis had devastated the planet, he had angered the gods who while unable to fight him themselves, were able to guide others to take up arms against him. They searched the charred remains of the planet and finally located a survivor. The young woman had been injured and had prayed to the gods for help. They chose to answer her prayers, rebuilding her broken body into that of the new Master-At-Arms.

The new Master-At-Arms was granted gifts by her gods that would help her in her task of stopping Trannis. Some gave her the ability and skills needed to fight, but perhaps the most precious gift she received was the knowledge of the Power. She now understood more about the magical forces that spread throughout existence than anyone else. She understood the nature and origin of the Power, how it was divided and the ways of directing a part of it. She was also granted the skills to forge armour strong enough to handle the volatile energy.

Using a spell to locate those worthy of the new powers she could bestow, she collected them from where they had hidden and brought them to her location. Being inexperienced in the ways of magic and having only a rudimentary connection to the Power, they hardly noticed when the Power used the natural pathways within their bodies to create its own links. The Power took what it found and after a short ritual, altered it to suit its need. A new band of warriors were born.

Nobody knew how much or how little time had passed. When in contact with the Power, time itself could be manipulated. There was no sense of urgency as the ritual continued. Together they had followed her instructions and forged their own suits of armour, using the Power to locate and retrieve the materials needed. The results were at first glance crude and extremely heavy; they had spent much time building their muscles to the point where they were comfortable moving in the heavy armour plates that covered the flexible material next to their skin.

"The Guardians have failed. You will succeed. You are pure of body, mind and soul. The people of the universe seek justice, not the arrogance of those that came before. It cries out for protection not domination. Evil has gained a foothold because those claiming to be good men did nothing.."

She turned to study her team. They had come a long way in a very short time and she was proud of them. They had accepted themselves and each other and that made the worthy of the Power. And in response the Power was aiding them, teaching both students and their mater what needed to be done.

"The time has come for you to take up arms against evil. The powers you have sought and built are now yours. So long as you are true to yourselves and united by the bonds you have built, the Power will aid you."

A series of golden plates had been positioned on their armour during construction. They had believed them to be purely decorative and had even protested that they were pointless additions. Now they discovered the truth as the gold acted as a conductor, channelling the raw power into the metallic plates. The decorative plating on their outer armour and the gold threads running through the inner layer bound the armour together. At their sides each carried a large gun and a sword bearing the owner's mark. Each had forged an additional weapon they could call on through their armour, but the concentration required to summon such weapons meant they were used only when absolutely necessary.

"Trannis has detected the magic I have worked here," the Master-At-Arms spoke. "He has sent his servants elsewhere, but he has not yet finished with this world."

In fact Trannis had detected a massive burst of unknown energy and was likely curious about its nature. Since he lacked the true understanding of the Power that the Master-At-Arms had been granted, he would not understand the significance.

"How do we fight him?"

"The Power will guide you," she answered.

Gran grinned. "Let's get out there."

* * *

Trannis had been drawn back to the planet and for some reason had decided to investigate the abnormal energy readings himself. He had temporarily assumed an armoured form to make movement easier. It was a technique that had proven useful over the years, though it took a great deal of effort to control.

He appeared near to where the Master-At-Arms had been and immediately sensed that something had changed. The troops he had sent ahead were gone; as were the huge land walkers he had set to guard the planet. He was at once alert. A scream caught his attention and he spun around to be confronted by the corpse of one of his troops, although he would never know who it was because the armour was scorched beyond recognition. Instinct dictated his next move as he tried to teleport back to the safety of his vessel. The planet was obviously not devoid of life, yet. Nothing happened, no matter how hard he tried and eventually he gave up. Something was going on and he had to be alert.

A burst of pink streaked across the sky and narrowly missed his shoulder. The air above him flashed brightly. He was under attack.

"Show yourself!" he bellowed. "Who dares to attack me?"

The pink shape moved back across the landscape, this time at a pace where he could make out the shape. It was a giant animal, a Firebird to be exact, which was partially solid, but mostly magical energy. On the top he could see a lone figure riding the mighty beast out of combat.

"We dare," a calm voice announced.

Trannis spun around to see seven figures in fighting stances, each with their swords drawn and ready. In a beam of pink fire an eighth member joined them.

"YOU dare to attack me?" he asked, twisting the words so they sounded like an insult.

"You are guilty for the destruction of untold worlds," Sorran answered. "The Guardians would have remained uninvolved if you had left them alone. But instead you showed an evil heart; all evil must be challenged and conquered."

"Fools, I am more powerful than you could imagine. I need only to teleport back to my ship and I will destroy this world."

"Then we'll have to make sure you don't leave," said a new voice.

The Master-At-Arms stood ready for action, her long staff poised to strike.

"Full power now!" Lacutus called.

At once their battle armour charged with energy. Red, green, black, yellow, pink, blue, and purple metal glowed brightly, highlighted by the thin layer of gold that had been attached as decoration. The upper section shone white with a gold trim, as were the bands surrounding the tops of their gloves and boots. On the left breast they wore a gold image of their spirit animal. The material on their arms and legs were predominantly their individual colour. Their heavy helmets were shaped to resemble the heads of the animals they had glimpsed during their training. Their swords were replaced by a staff in that matched the colour of their armour.

Sorran was the exception. His armour was mostly white with gold and black gauntlets around the tops of the boots, gloves and on the belt. A black and gold shield covered his chest with shoulder pads bearing the image of his spirit animal on the centre of the front. His helmet resembled the face of a tiger. In his hand was a long golden sword.

"Surround him!" the Master-At-Arms ordered.

The fighters surrounded Trannis and after forming a circle, joined hands. They raised their arms into the air and joined hands.

"We call on the Power," the Master-At-Arms intoned. "Destroy this villain and vanquish this great evil!"

Trannis was worried. He didn't understand exactly what they were doing, but he could tell that they were calling on powerful forces. He also realised that since he had devastated the planet, there was no organic life he could pervert to his ends. There were no useful minerals in the soil from which to construct weapons. Trannis knew that by his own hand he had placed himself at a severe disadvantage.

"This is the end of the line Trannis," Red Dragon told him. "Your evil ends here today."

Realising he could not escape, Trannis shifted his form slightly so he could improve his chances. His armour and skin merged and his muscle tone increased to provide extra strength. This was his chosen form, he preferred it because of the added protection his metallic body provided. A deadly black blade appeared in his hands. It had no highlights and seemed to swallow daylight into its depths. He called it Hell Bearer.

The eight warriors fired their weapons, attempting to circle around Trannis as they did so in hopes of catching him off guard.

"Is this what you call playing fair?" Trannis taunted as he batted away several of their blasts. "Trying to sneak behind an enemy you already out number doesn't sound very fair to me."

"Since when have you fought fair?" Yellow Griffin asked in response. "Firing upon worlds from space doesn't seem fair to me. You can't expect us to follow rules that you wouldn't even consider."

A lucky blast from Sorran knocked Trannis off his feet, allowing them to concentrate their fire. Although Trannis refused to entertain the notion that anything the warriors did could cause him serious injury, their blasts were keeping him pinned and more vulnerable than he liked.

"Enough!" he cried suddenly as he released his sword.

The blade spun end over end towards the eight warriors until it connected with Green's blade. Sparks flew as the evil blade absorbed the energy within the warrior's weapon. The green clad warrior hurriedly shifted out of the way and watched as Trannis's sword fell to the ground.

In the instant the others took their eyes off their opponent to watch Green Minotaur, Trannis was about to scramble away from his predicament. Raising his hand he summoned his sword and attacked.

"Ces, look out!" Red Dragon warned as Trannis directed his assault towards the Aquitian.

For her part Ces was a highly skilled warrior with the aggressiveness and determination that set her people apart from other races. Before Trannis had started his reign of terror, Aquitar had been a planet of land dwelling life forms. It had been during his early assault that the villain had cursed the entire race so they could not retain moisture. He had then flooded their world, leaving the people with no choice but to adapt to their changing environment.

As Trannis approached she pulled both her sword and blaster. She caught his sword with her own and used her blaster to damage the weapon. When that failed, she dispensed with the weapons and opened up with a violent onslaught of punches and kicks. The villain stumbled back wondering where these fighters had found such strength? He turned and ran straight into Purple Spider.

Dionnah did not bother with weapons. She used her powerful limbs to strike at Trannis's armour. Her first few blows kept him off balance so that she could land kicks to his jaw and shoulder. Her left fist connected with his chin as her right hand, now bearing her staff positioned itself next to his chest.

Even when her opponent went down Dionnah did not relent. Her planet had not been as lucky as Ces's. Trannis had considered her world a threat and exterminated it outright. It was vengeance that had fuelled Dionnah's determination over the last few months and years. It was rage that created the adrenaline that allowed her to continue punching long after she had cracked the bones in her hand.

"Power Staffs!" Red Dragon ordered.

The long staffs started to glow. In an attack pattern they had perfected during their brief training encounters, the Soldiers lunged forward. White Tiger and Green Minotaur drove the points of their staffs into the villain's shoulders, driving him to the ground and preventing further movement. Blue and Purple Spider were next, securing his ankles to the ground. Taking the opportunity to disarm him, Red Dragon slammed his staff into Trannis's wrist. The Yellow Griffin hooked the sword away allowing Black Lion and Pink Firebird to destroy it with their weapons.

Sensing he would not triumph against such determined opponents, Trannis used one of the techniques he had discovered to make himself grow. He drew energy into his cells, causing them to expand. As his body expanded, he reached out and seized Purple and Black Lion in his mighty fists.. As his body increased in size he applied greater pressure to his captives, laughing as he felt their armoured bodies succumb to his might.

The others looked up at the giant who had just destroyed two of their friends. They didn't feel anger, which would have blinded them to their task and what they had to do. "Powers Merge!"

While Trannis had been distracted by the young warriors, he had failed to notice the Master-At-Arms as she used a powerful sealing spell to bind Trannis to those that opposed him. It took a while before Trannis realized that he had been tricked; the students had never intended to win. Their combined attack was little more than a light show to enable the Master-At-Arms time to trap him in a prison of crystal. The heroes disappeared as their bodies and souls were used to secure the tyrant in place, their armour cocooning him forever. Thanks to the eight warriors and their great sacrifice, Trannis was no longer a threat.

**End of part. **


End file.
